Learning by Design: Translating Olin Principles to Your Institution

Learning by Design: Translating Olin Principles to Your Institution

A Three-Day Immersive Institute for Educators

Build Tailored Instructional Plans

What is the Learning by Design Institute at Olin College? 

Learning by Design is a three-day immersive institute for educators from HBCUs, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, and K–12 schools seeking practical, transferable approaches to student-centered learning.

Drawing on Olin's deeply interconnected educational philosophy—from intrinsic motivation to curriculum structure and inclusive practice—this institute, from July 8 -10, 2026, helps participants experience and adapt approaches that support student agency, collaboration, and meaningful problem solving. Unlike traditional professional development, this program blends theory, practice, and co-design so that you leave with ready-to-apply insights and instructional ideas tailored to your unique context.

Across education, many instructors are asking how to create learning environments that are rigorous, relevant and deeply engaging. They are seeking ways to:

• Inspire students to take ownership of their learning
• Design experiences that balance intellectual challenge with meaningful support
• Bridge theory and practice in ways that honor institutional and cultural context
• Cultivate classrooms where collaboration, creativity and curiosity flourish

This institute is not designed to replicate Olin’s model. Instead, it is structured to help you identify, extract and adapt core design principles–so you can thoughtfully integrate them into your own courses and institutions. The goal is not imitation, but translation: strengthening learning experience in ways that work where you teach.

What You'll Experience

During the three-day institute, participants will:

• Engage with foundational educational design frameworks—such as goal-driven planning and theory-informed practice—to ground instructional choices in research and experience.
• Apply concepts through hands-on activities and reflection, ensuring that ideas don't stay abstract but become actionable in your classroom, school, or program.
• Co-design practical artifacts you can use in syllabi, lesson modules, or learning experiences that reflect both your goals and what we learn together.
• Share and workshop ideas with peers across diverse institutions, building a professional network for ongoing collaboration and inspiration.

What You’ll Leave With

Participants leave the Learning by Design Institute with:

• An Understanding of the core design principles behind Olin's curriculum—including motivation, spiral learning and integrative design—and how these support deeper engagement and student ownership.
• Frameworks that bridge theory and practice, such as course goal alignment and project-based learning structures with clear pedagogical foundations.
• Strategies for creating equitable and inclusive learning environments, informed by how identity, context and student experience shape outcomes.
• Tools for translating insights into context-appropriate practices that enhance teaching and learning in non-STEM and STEM settings alike.